Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux: Vote for your favorite songs of 1980

New year, new poll: Yes, after taking 2014 off to recover from that epic and quite contentious best-albums-of-the-decade countdown, we’re resurrecting Best of the ’80s in 2015 for another year-long slog through the decade, this time selecting the best songs of each year of the 1980s — then wrapping it up with a monster poll to select the best of the decade.

This time, however, we’re doing things a little differently.

VOTING:For the album polls, we presented you with a list, sometimes hundreds of titles long, to choose from, plus the ability to offer write-ins. We inevitably missed titles, and some argued this skewed the results. So this time, it’s a (mostly) free-for-all. As you’ll see below, you may vote for any 10 songs you’d like — singles, B-sides, album cuts, etc. It’s all fill-in-the-blanks this time, not multiple choice.

A few important things to note:

To be eligible for the final results poll, songs must have been released in some format — whether it be on an album, EP or a single — during the year 1980 (not the whole decade, just the year). That means, for example, that even though The Clash’s London Calling was released in (late) 1979, the single “Train in Vain,” issued in early 1980, is eligible for the list. Splitting hairs? Maybe, but we have to draw the line somewhere.

In the past, acknowledging the theme of this website, we limited voting to artists that fall under the very loose and ill-defined “alternative” banner, generally acts from the punk, post-punk, goth, college rock, indie, synthpop, industrial, New Wave and related genres. Not the case anymore — although that’s still likely how the results will skew. This time, vote for whatever you want. Even Christopher Cross’ “Sailing,” if that’s what, uh, floats your boat.

Well, there is one limit. To prevent one-note fans from, say, simply listing every track off Steely Dan’s Gaucho, you may only vote for a maximum of two songs by the same artist when filling out your Top 10. Any ballots submitted with more than two songs by the same artist will be disqualified.

DEADLINE: Voting will be open through 5 p.m. EDT Friday, Jan. 30, and results will be posted at the beginning of February — after which we’ll launch the 1981 poll and take it from there.

Sound good? Then vote away via the survey widget posted below.

And because there’s not a pre-set list to choose from, we encourage you to lobby for your picks, and maybe sway some votes, in the comments below.

Instead of bitting my nails and pounding my head against the wall i just picked the 10 songs for the year that i could not live without. these songs live in my head and heart and are part of the sound track of my life. cheers, M

I thought the albums were hard choosing from a list but this. This is torture. Luckily 1980 is hard for me as I was young so I pretty much took tracks from the top 100 1980 albums but as this goes on, b-sides, live albums… oh my god it’s going to take DAYS to choose 10….

Damn this was tough. Deciding between Train in Vain and some of the Sandanista singles was torture enough, and then trying to figure out whether to include non-SUE-ish tracks was another tough one, so I just went with my faves.

again, another tough survey. lots of great music this year to choose from. My top 10 were in particular order:
joy division – love will tear us apart
echo & the bunnymen – all that jazz
u2 – i will follow
psychedelic furs – imitation of christ
squeeze – pulling mussels
pretenders – kid
clash – magnificent seven
talking heads – once in a lifetime
devo – gates of steel
the (english) beat – mirror in the bathroom

I’ve been pretty impressed with a lot of I’ve seen here so far (my list is in progress). But throwing down Ah Leah! by Donnie Iris is such a deep dive pull that I have to credit. Well played, sir. Well played.

That song is one of my favorite guilty pleasures and usually have it on my iPod; I am not ashamed to admit it. C’mon, I was a 13 year old girl when it came out and still had another year to go before I evolved into a hipster “new waver” who constantly wore a trench coat. Thanks S.U.E., for allowing your readers to share their likes outside the alternative box.

I gotta be ‘that guy’ and ask: Why is it “songs” instead of the more commonly used term “tracks”? Are non-song tracks eligible? Spoken word? Is Throwing Muses’ “Girl Named Pike” a song? What about Jello Biafra or Henry Rollins spoken word? Is an outtake or extended 12″ version the same as a “song”? Okay, I’ll vote now.

No particular order:
David Bowie-Ashes to Ashes
Talking Heads-Once in a Lifetime
Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart
The Normal-Warm Leatherette
Visage-Fade To Grey
Siouxsie & the Banshees-Happy House
Peter Gabriel-Games with out Frontiers
Oliva NewtonJohn-Magic
The Specials-Too Much, Too Young
The Clash-Somebody Got Murdered.

Ones that will definitely get a vote:
Train in Vain (Stand by Me) – The Clash
I Will Follow – U2
Boys Don’t Cry – The Cure
Once in a Lifetime – Talking Heads
Could You Be Loved – Bob Marley & the Wailers

The other 5 are totally up for grabs from the list below, and I need help deciding! Anyone?

OMG! I just read the limit of two songs per band on the same ballot. I guess that makes me a “one-note” fan, eek! And in front of all these people! I need to go redo my actual ballot. How humiliating. 8-O

Squeeze, Pulling Mussels (from the shell)
Rockpile, Teacher Teacher
The English Beat, Mirror in the Bathroom
Elvis Costello, I can’t stand up for falling down
DEVO, Whip it
Fleetwood Mac, Fireflies (off their LIVE album. perhaps my favorite Mac song of all)
Split Enz, I got You
Talking Heads, Once in a Lifetime
David Bowie, Ashes to Ashes
Peter Gabriel, Games Without Frontiers

Putting together a list of only 10 songs is unbelievably difficult. But I have to say that it is a crime that NOTHING from Joe Jackson’s Look Sharp is eligible b/c the album and each single was released in ’79. Ditto for all early clash and the Jam.

I know Matt does more than he needs to, but it would be very cool to do some kind of best alt songs/albums from late 70s. That 77-79 sweet spot really set up just about everything that was good in the 80s.

What a great year for music. Tough to narrow it down to 10, but here goes, in no particular order

Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
Bruce Springsteen – The River
The Beat – Best Friend
Robert Wyatt – At Last I Am Free
Echo and The Bunnymen – Villiers Terrace
Talking Heads – Once In A Lifetime
The Selecter – Too Much Pressure
The Specials – Rat Race
The Clash – The Call Up
Joy Division – Atmosphere